Durban – The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development said it would intervene and educate a 16-year-old mother on how to take care of and protect her 10-month-old baby after community members in Osindisweni, outside Verulam, found the baby dumped in a bush next to a tavern on Saturday.
Department spokesperson Mhlaba Memela said the incident was “horrible” and expressed gratitude to the family that saved the child's life.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) reported that the 10-month-old baby girl was found dumped in bush while her parents were at different locations in the area.
According to Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram, they received a call from residents on Sunday morning after the child’s mother showed up at their house to claim the baby.
“Reaction Officers were dispatched to the area and on arrival met with angry residents who explained that the child was located by a passer-by in overgrown vegetation next to a tavern in Osindisweni, KZN last night (Saturday),” he said.
He said the man who found the baby handed her over to his mother for safekeeping.
“At first glance he (the man who found the baby) presumed that the baby was deceased as she appeared unresponsive. Upon closer investigation, he realised that the child was asleep,” he said.
Balram said the baby’s 16-year-old mother arrived at the home of the woman taking care of the child on Sunday morning after she heard about the incident.
However, members of the community refused to hand over the child and instead contacted Rusa for assistance, he said.
“Reaction Officers interviewed the teenage mother who explained that she was attending a house party in the area and asked her 30-year-old boyfriend to babysit. He allegedly proceeded to the tavern with the baby and at some stage abandoned her in a bush. He has not been located since,” said Balram.
The department called for law enforcement agencies to track down the father and ensure he faced arrest.
Memela said child neglect was a serious matter and those involved should be punished.
“The department will also play its part by ensuring that there is intervention, and the mother is educated on how to take care of the child and expose her to other options to ensure child protection,” he said.
Memela said a team of social workers would be assigned to the case.
He said the department’s priority was the safety of the child.
“Once again, we want to encourage people to take all options made available by the department and avoid dumping children,” said Memela.